Chapter 98: Auction Showdown

  At this moment, Bai Guangren's face lit up with excitement after hearing Meng Bangjie's words. He said with a big smile: "The price of a female slave is only five taels of copper coins, but Huang Xiuli is exceptionally beautiful, so I'll offer ten taels!"

  After he made the offer, surprisingly no one else bid. Ten guan of copper coins was not a small amount in this era, enough for an ordinary family to eat for two years, how could an ordinary family afford to spend so much money to buy a female slave?

  Moreover, the Bai family in Cai Prefecture is wealthy and influential, and can be said to be a local tyrant. How many people would dare to compete with Young Master Bai for the woman he wants to buy?

  Just as Bai Guangren was feeling complacent, thinking that Huang Xiuli was already in his pocket, planning how to subdue this icy beauty and make her moan with pleasure in bed. Suddenly, another person's loud voice appeared: "I'll give ten taels and one coin!"

  Bai Guangren's face turned red with rage, his eyes scanning the room for a moment before landing on the young man who had spoken up, the same one who had sat next to Meng Bangjie yesterday. This made him swallow back the angry words he was about to spew out, and instead asked in a tone at least eight degrees softer: "This gentleman, do you also want to buy this cheap person?"

  Yue Yun couldn't help but smile wryly, he actually thought of himself as Meng Bangjie's mentor. But it was also no wonder that he would think so, after all, he had been sitting next to Meng Bangjie the whole time yesterday.

  He smiled slightly and didn't bother to explain, but said straightforwardly: "I'm not General Meng's teacher, but I am going to buy Huang Xiuli!"

  "What? Are you out of your mind? This is someone my family wants, and you dare to compete with me for her?" White Guangren was furious when he heard this, but he also put his heart at ease. Since it wasn't Meng Bangjie's teacher, he didn't have to worry about offending him. Even if he knew Meng Bangjie, Meng probably wouldn't fall out with him over a female slave, after all, the city garrison had many dealings with his family now.

  "This young lady is beautiful, skilled in singing and dancing, and also knowledgeable about poetry, calligraphy, and painting. I want her, you want her too. Let's just make a fair offer, whoever bids higher gets her!" Yuke Yun said with a smile, completely unfazed by Bai Guangren's threat.

  Bai Guangren glared at Yue Yun with hatred, seeing Yue Yun's calm and collected demeanor, as if he had already won him over. A hint of resentment flashed in his eyes, and he began to think of a plan, preparing to find some local thugs to ambush Cheng Yaojin when he was alone, beating him until he was crippled, and see if he still dared to compete with him for the woman!

  At this time, Meng Bangjie asked: "Bai Gongzi, are you going to make a bid? If not, Huang Xiuli will be..."

  "I'll give twelve taels!" Bai Guangren said sternly. He had already hated Yue Yun to the core, and spending twelve taels on Huang Xiuli was a waste, and even if he could buy her, he would still be scolded by his father when he got home.

  "Twelve strokes and one dot!" Yue Yun said with a chuckle.

  Bai Guangren's momentum was stifled, and he angrily said: "General Meng, this person is deliberately coming to make trouble. Whatever price I offer, he just adds one coin. Is there such a thing as bidding like this in the world?"

  Meng Bangjie, however, spread his hands and said helplessly, "Bai Gongzi, I'm afraid it's not possible. The laws of the Song Dynasty do not have a provision that prohibits bidding from increasing by less than one coin. Nor can I make a special rule that each bid must increase by at least a certain amount of silver!"

  Bai Guangren had no choice but to reluctantly give up and then steeled himself to report a number: "Fifteen strings of cash!"

  This is already his psychological price, if it's any higher he won't be able to justify it even when he goes back.

  But just then, a hoarse voice came from outside the courtyard: "This time, our White family will no longer participate in the auction of official slaves. The previous bid made by Bai Guangren is hereby invalidated!"

  Bai Guangren heard the voice and became anxious and angry, he looked up to see an old man with a white beard and eyebrows, accompanied by Sun Hao and a young scholar, arriving at the main hall.

  "Ah! Father?" Bai Guangren's mouth was agape, his face filled with an expression of utter disbelief. He couldn't help but blurt out: "Father, how did you come here?"

  This old man turned out to be his father Bai Jia's family master Bai Xiao Tian.

  All he heard was two loud "slaps", and then Bai Xiao Tian rushed up and slapped Bai Guang Ren twice, shouting: "You little beast, you spend all day indulging in wine and women, neglecting your duties. You'll die in a woman's belly one of these days! How did the White family produce such a good-for-nothing son like you? Get back home!"

  As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately grabbed Bai Guangren's ear and dragged him out. The continuous "ah" sounds of Bai Guangren came from the main hall, causing everyone in the government office to turn their heads and discuss it in a flurry.

  After leaving the government office, Bai Yuanwai finally let go of Bai Guangren's ear.

  Bai Guangren gritted his teeth and shouted: "Father, isn't it just buying a slave? Do you need to say this in front of so many people?"

  "You little beast, you really don't know the height of heaven and earth! Do you know who the person bidding with you is?" Bai Xiao Tian said in a bad tone.

  Bai Guangren asked in puzzlement: "Dad, who is that? I think the little guy seems to be quite familiar with General Meng."

  "Good heavens! How dare you be so presumptuous? If I hadn't appeared in time, you might have offended him to the very end. Do you know who that young man is? He's none other than General Yue's eldest son, Yue Yun! Not only is he the general's son, but he also holds a high-ranking position as a military commander - someone you can't afford to offend..."

  He said with a scowl, "Early this morning, Sun Zhiyuan and Yue Jia's attendants came to me, hoping I could do a favor for Yue Jia. You tell me, in such a situation, you still went to compete with him for Huang Xiuli that seductress, isn't that like looking for death?".

  Bai Xiao Tian got angrier and angrier, and severely scolded his son, telling him to spend less time with women and take care of the family business more, lest he become a prodigal son in the future.

  Bai Guangren was afraid of his father and didn't dare to talk back, so he could only follow him back to the White Mansion honestly.

  At this time, everyone in the hall was also stunned.

  This sudden change shocked everyone in the room, causing them to discuss it eagerly. Only Yue Yun and Meng Bangjie had a plan in mind, their faces remaining calm as usual.

  Yue Yun waited for a moment before saying: "General Meng, Bai Gongzi has withdrawn. Shall we restart the bidding?"

  "Of course!" Meng Bangjie slammed his hand on the auction table and shouted: "Now, let's start again from scratch!"

  Yue Yun immediately reported a bottom price of five guans.

  After he made the bid, no one else dared to bid again. The scene just now left a deep impression on everyone, and even the White family, who was known as the tyrant of Cai Prefecture, did not dare to compete with this young man and retreated voluntarily. What courage do others have to be the first bird to take the lead? After all, beautiful women are lovely, but you need to have a life to enjoy them.

  As a result, Yue Yun naturally got Huang Xiuli at the price of five yuan without any dispute.

  The people in the hall saw that the case had been settled, and they turned around and left one after another. As they walked, they discussed what kind of godly figure Yue Yun was, who could intimidate even the White family, which was famous throughout Cai Prefecture, into not daring to compete with him for a woman.

  Huang Xiuli glanced at Yue Yun, although she despised him and that Bai Guangren for being equally despicable, taking advantage of her beauty. But seeing his appearance was much better than Bai Guangren's, with a hint of elegance in his eyebrows, which was completely different from the lustful air on Bai Guangren's face. She thought to herself: If this young man treats me well in the future, it might be worth considering entrusting my life to him.

  However, just as she was carefully sizing up Yue Yun, the young scholar who had entered with Bai Yuanwai stepped forward and bowed to Yue Yun, saying: "Thank you, Young Master, for buying a maid for my mother. I, Yan Wen, am truly ashamed and dare not accept this!"

  Yue Yun smiled and waved his hand, saying: "Yunwen has made plans for me with all his heart, I don't know how to reward you. This woman's appearance is decent, her manners are also good, let her take care of your ailing mother's food and daily life, it's just right! Why should Yunwen thank him?"

  "What? Not that this young master wants me himself, but he wants to give me as a gift to his subordinate to take care of his sick mother?" Huang Xiuli's forehead turned black in an instant. The top-ranking courtesan of the Yi Qing Institute was actually being bought to be a servant girl, how could she not be depressed?

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